By Bronwyn Hastings

Bees contribute an estimated $4.2-billion to Australian agriculture each year in plant pollination and honey production, yet they face multiple threats, including habitat loss, agriculture chemical use, climate change, and the ongoing spread of pests and diseases.

One of the world’s most destructive honey-bee pests is the notifiable Varroa mite, which was detected in Australia in June 2022. 

In January this year, pyrethroid resistance in Varroa mites was confirmed for the first time in Australia.  

Although no miticide resistance is reported in Victoria to date, the cost of managing the pest is expected to reach $70-million a year.

Dimboola apiarist Geoff Somers said he had avoided the mite by avoiding other beekeepers, placing his hives on local private and government land agistments.

He said he was not confident his bees would remain unaffected.

“They are going to get it on my next shift, when I take them to the almonds at Red Cliffs in July or August,” he said.

“Cross-pollinating pays well – it’s money for jam and the only way to make money out of bees – but there are a lot of other beekeepers there. 

“I’d say two-thirds of beekeepers in Victoria have it now, commercial or otherwise.”

Now semi-retired, Mr Somers will take 150 hives to Red Cliffs – at the height of his business, he would take 500 hives.

He said he preferred a chemical-free approach, and had a natural way to eradicate the mites.

“Even though I’m not certified organic, I just don’t like the idea. I never have – I eat my own product,” he said.

“An American beekeeper who came to Australia to avoid mites about 15 years ago told me about a freezing method, which worked in America, on and off.

“I’m going to try this way and I might get out of using chemicals. 

“He said sometimes that, with a bit of chemical, it worked for some people, but it’s very labour intensive.”

Agriculture Victoria bee biosecurity officer Ashton Edgley said bee biosecurity was integral to the health of hives. 

“At Agriculture Victoria’s site in Atwood, we maintain six hives for industry biosecurity training and as replacement stock for the ports surveillance program, which acts as an early warning system to detect new incursions of exotic bee pests and pest bees,” he said.

“The hives greatly increase the possibility of eradicating and incursion, and limits the scale and cost of any eradication program.

“Bees need our protection so that they can carry out the role of plant pollination and honey production –one out of every three mouthfuls of food depends on bees and two thirds of Australia’s agricultural production benefits from honeybee pollination.”

Mr Somers said he had worked with bees for most of his life, starting as a child with his uncle in Western Australia. 

He moved to work in Ballarat, where he met now-wife Maureen, and kept hives as a hobby.

He ultimately moved to Dimboola and started a commercial operation.

Mr Somers said in 30 years he had never had two low-production years in a row, and averaged three low-production years in each decade.
“I’ve never had two in a row, up until now – last year was a dud year, it was so hot and dry,” he said.

“A lot of the banksia bushes died, especially where they are thick – they need a fire. 

“They also need a frost, it’s the only plant I know that reacts to frost in a positive way. 

“There’s a beekeeper saying that is pretty right: ‘the first frost after Anzac Day, the banksias will start’. 

“Well, we haven’t had one. Now the bees are wearing themselves out, they burrow in and they’re not getting much pollen.”

Mr Somers said until the outbreak of Varroa mite and an African beetle, Australia was known as the best for beekeeping operations.

“I’ve worked in Canada, and we were the best beekeepers known, for our flora, we’re pretty easy, and no mites,” he said.

“We’ve now had two incursions – we kept it out until three or four years ago, but it’s just bad news.”

• World Bee Day, observed on May 20 in more than 100 countries and recognised by the Food and Agriculture Organisations of the United Nations, highlights how much the natural world relies on the pollinators. It asks people to act locally while thinking globally by growing more flowers and reducing pesticides in home gardens. 

The entire May 27, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire May 27, 2026 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!